F-18 just crashed near my home. Just east of the airfield. (Miramar)

[Pukin Dog]

Pilot ejected, and has been located.

[DejaJude]

Oh, and that pilot they are looking for in Iraq is from Luke AFB in Phoenix.

Here is a link from Luke with info on a fund being set up for the family.
(Luke AFB)

[USMCWife6869]

Sadly, you are very, very correct.

There have been tons of rumors here at MCAS Yuma that they will be here before long (Miramar that is). Of course, they are just rumors, but they did just buy loads more land out here.

[ko_kyi]

"Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace."

I heard that is a myth. If they can land the bird somewhere they do, if they can control the aircraft they will return to base. If the aircraft is uncontrollable it will crash whether they are in it or not, so they get out.

[Revelation 911]

but it made for a very nasty summer around here. Lots of hostilities.

may I ask why ?

[Pukin Dog]

Miramar Air Base is located in Mira Mesa CA, just north of San Diego on I-15.

[CAluvdubya]

I was on the 15 south Tues. heading towards 163 and three F-18s were doing maneuvers along with one of the helicopters. It was quite a treat as I felt like I was getting to watch a private air show.

So glad the pilot is okay. They (meaning two together) do some pretty tight turns. It always scares me to see it.

[Kitten Festival]

Just north of San Diego, might even be in San Diego, but it's wide open spaces.

[Empireoftheatom48]

That's where my daughter lives, we were there just last week. It was kind of quiet, guess there was not much training going on, since it was thanksgiving week.

[Pukin Dog]

Not that I'm not glad the pilot is safe, but I thought pilots were expected to ride the bird all the way to the ground when over civilian airspace....

You thought wrong. Most ejections from fighters allow the pilot about 2 seconds of decision making time at best. The reason that there are few incidents of fighters contacting neighborhoods is that the approach patterns to most bases are undeveloped.

If a pilot has time and control of his aircraft, he/she will try to LAND it, not just steer it away from homes. When a fighter decides that it aint flyin anymore, it rarely allows you to steer.

[Erasmus]

Any landing you walk away from is a good one.

I guess that includes when you're landing a 'chute.

[SoCalPol]

Miramar Marine Air Base is in San Diego

[Pukin Dog]

That's where my daughter lives, we were there just last week.

You have a daughter near me? Is she cute? Does she come from money?

[SoCalPol]

There is no Mira Mesa, CA. Mira Mesa is a neighborhood of San Diego

[SoCalPol]

Am sure sofa will have an up date. He works across from the main gate to the base

[stevie_d_64]

He was altitude challenged...

The aircraft just didn't want to do something, so he punched...

F-18's are really only as smart as the person sitting in the front office of those things...

They can make more F-18's...It takes longer to get someone to fly them...

[Larry Lucido]

Damn, hope he is okay.

[Born to Conserve]

Years ago, there was a crash nearby (Willow Grove Air Base) where an A6 (I think) ran short of fuel somehow. The pilot put it down on a neighborhood street, between the houses, and ejected safely getting his parachute partially melted by the exploding plane. No one on the ground was hurt.

[TankerKC]

There was an A3D that went down in the pattern at Miramar in '87. An A-4 went down on approach in the hills east of Miramar in 89-89 timeframe. I remember the smoke billowing up on the horizon. It maked you feel bad in your gut.

[jesseam]

I was told by my flight instructor at Fr. Rucker Army Aviation School that any landing that you make where you can walk away from or even crawl away from is a good one. JessM

[CAluvdubya]

Hi there. I can still hear the helicopters flying over my house over here.